HARRINGTON, Delaware — Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump praised this small state for being an onshore tax haven Friday, boasting that he has 378 entities registered here to take advantage of the sweetheart corporate laws.
“Do we love Delaware — do we love it,” Mr. Trump shouted out as a greeting to a crowd of thousands gathered in a livestock arena at Delaware State Fairgrounds.
“I pay you all a lot of money. I don’t feel a bit guilty,” said the billionaire businessman. “Really they’ve done corporately a wonderful job here.”
In the same speech, Mr. Trump vowed that if elected he would bring corporate profits hidden in offshore tax havens such as the Cayman Islands back to the United States
Delaware is home to more companies than people because of its pro-business laws, including low taxes and easy, anonymous registration for corporations. Many of the country’s biggest companies have mailing addresses in Delaware, and the state gets nearly a third of its tax revenue from its corporate citizens.
The real estate mogul and reality TV star said that the large number of corporations he registers in the state was not widely known. He said he staff quickly tallied up 378 businesses in the Trump empire that he registered here but that the number could be slightly off.
Mr. Trump was looking to solidly support in Delaware, one of five Northeast state that vote Tuesday and which he is expected to win.
• S.A. Miller can be reached at smiller@washingtontimes.com.
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